associationism

The associationism is a stream of the psychology that arose in Great Britain and that tries to explain psychic questions from the principles that govern the association of ideas. This theory, in short, reflects on how thoughts establish different kinds of combinations in the mind.

John Locke (1632-1704), according to the postulates of Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC), claimed that human beings are born blank, without any kind of innate ability or natural aptitude. Only the experiences that people live over time allow them to develop certain representations, which means that ideas do not arise through reasoning.

According to experimental psychology, on the other hand, there is talk of passive associationism to indicate how the mind acts as a reflection of the natural representations that give meaning to existence.

In this sense, it should be emphasized that within that aforementioned field of psychology many are the schools that have approached and bet, in one way or another, for what associationism is. In this way, for example, one could highlight empiricist mentalist psychology, behaviorism that is based on the stimulus-response union, connectionism that revolves around behavior and mental processes, or psychoanalysis that focuses on free association of ideas as a therapeutic method.

David hartley (1705-1757) Y James mill (1773-1836) also postulated that consciousness is the consequence of association law, which involves a link between the elements that are captured through the senses.

Associationism is, in another sense, a movement of a social nature that proposes the creation of political, civic and other associations to deal with matters of community interest.

At this time precisely within what is associationism, it is necessary to highlight the boom that has experienced that which takes place in the bosom of what is youth. Thus, the different organizations and public administrations, both at the local, provincial or national level, promote the union of young people for the start-up of these mentioned associations.

And it is thanks to these working groups that its members have at their fingertips to actively participate in what is the society in which they live, making proposals, proposing projects that interest them or developing all kinds of actions that improve. both of their well-being and of the rest of the citizens.

A phrase that could serve as an example of what we have stated last is the following: “The Madrid City Council encouraged associations among youth and managed to get them to launch the Youth Cultural Association from which reading workshops are held, theatrical performances and concerts ”.

Finally, it should be noted that within the framework of the social education, the associationism is a postulate that maintains that the participation of the citizens in the public debate is the best way to modify the reality and improve the collective living conditions, since it allows to pursue the common good.